There's a new video series on YouTube that embodies the amazing energy and inspiration inherent in do-it-yourself (DIY) culture. Etsy has created "Handmade Portraits," a series of interviews with artists who sell their work on Etsy's site. These videos not only do a fantastic job of showing the artist's style and telling his or her story, but also they reveal what drives each project and the source of each artist's passion. In one video, the duo behind Maryink talk about how their chance encounter at a party brought them together to create t-shirts even though they live in different states...

Chanel Kennebrew studied photography and graphics but became drawn to fashion…

James Peter's chance encounter with a friend's broken guitar led him to start building handmade guitars in his garage…

Check out the entire series and get inspired to follow your own creative muse.